Lighter



J. KOHN LIGHTER Aug. 9, 1949.

Filed March 12, 1946 INYENTOR Jalzasjfokn/ ORNEY Patented Aug. 9, 1949 NITED JSLTATES T a --2,478,58.4.

LIGHTER Jul-ins- Kohn, New vYork, N. .Y., assi-gnor to. Colby Lighter Corporation, Mount Vernon,. N. -Y.,. a .eorponation of. New'York Application'March 12, 1946, Serial'No; 653-3832 invention relatesztonigarette. lighters and, more. particularly,.'to a.- r novel.,:.type: of cigarette lighter, the general nature eta-which maybe. best .defined by comparing thencharacteristics; of the new lighter withl-the. characteristics of two wellwick on a depressed platform of the lighter;- on I the depressed platform- :is also they flint wheel which isoperated byamember-carried-by the cap, to:generatesparks to ignite'the wiek. The cap also "carries --a- :snu-fier which z-extinguishes the flame .whenthe cap is closed.

Thefmorerecent of thetwo-typesof prior art lighter-s. may-be, for convenience;referred-toes the exposedmechanism, clever operated prior art lighter. This type of.- lighter ischaracterized by the-tact that the 'wickia-nd flint wheel mechanism. are. mounted, in-aexposedi position,- on the top ,platformof the lighten; oil-which is. also mounted an operating lever. .Theelighter is=operated by depressing theleverwhich causes the snufier arm 'tobe turned ina direction-away from-the wick v and at 'the same-time, turning the hint wheel to generate sparks to; ignitethe Wick A: spring urges the operating lever in-thea. opposite direction, so; that, upon releasing .-the.ieve1t,=the snuflier arm is turned in the opposite direction towards thewick. to extinguish the flame.

The desirable-teatime of :the first 'type of prior .artlighteristhe complete enclosing of the mesh?- anism in -.the"norma1--conditionof the (lighter.

.Thedisadyantages are-the fiacta-thatsther-cap has a considerable angle of turning-and theldiflicnlty of properly operating. the mechanism by :the spring-impelled movement of thecap, which. is too rapid. These-disadvantages areeli-m-inated in: the second-type ofprior art lighter, in. which the mechanism :is not operated=by a--- spring, but

by an. operating lever or fingerepieceunderhand control. :But the. disadvantage 015 this type: of

device is that; the meritsv andH-mechahismare ex- ;posed;

Thepri'ncipaliobiect of this inventionis provide a novel type: of cigarette lighter "which will combine thedesirable features ofv both-types of "prior: art :lighter w-ithcut' the disadvantages of either. An-allied oblectiis-toeproivide a. lighter cl'iaracterizedaby the. complete enclosing ot mechanism in its normal conditionnand -bythe proii isionoi a hand:-controlled:'member or fmgeb piece for operating the mechanism.

*Forthe attainment. of these and such 'other objects as may appear :or be pointed, out hereirr, Lhaveushown one. embodiment of theiinvention in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view OfFtheHOVe1 CigaJ rette: lighter; closed condition;

Fig. .2 isja-sectional elevation of the uppenpo-rtion of the-:1ighter,-.-showing themechanism the normal, closed: condition of the lighter;

Fig. 3 isa-sectionalelevationsimi-lar -to.-zEig,.- 2, but showing the mechanismin-theoperatedrcon clition of the: lighter;

. .Fig. 4 isiasection takenzon the. line: .--4of: Fig. 21;'and 9 Fig. :5- :isa. fragmentary sectional elevation similar fto the upperright portion .of Fig. .but showing. the-flint wheel andthesplit cap mounted on;the-samefpivotz-pin.

Theinovel cigarette lighter attains the -desirahle characteristics-ofv completeenclosure-ot the mechanism and a handecontrolledi manner otopera-ting :the mechanism, by the. provision-of a split-cap; closure, that-is, a closure which consists oftwo individually pivoted capsleach-cOnstitutingsubstantially one-half of the closure and by the. further ;provision thatonexof. :the: two Splitcaps serves as the operating member or fingerpieee. :The finger-piece split-cap -isthus the counterpart cit-the hand. operated: lever ofthe: secand type-0t 'prior art. lighter (.Fexposed. mechanism, l-ever operated discussed'above, while the other'splitmap carries a. snufier. :anddsthus the counterpart. of. the snufier-arm. The. fingerpiece-split-cap isprovided with a-mem-ber for operating. the .flin-t.-'whe.el. The two split-caps haveintermeshing gears, so that by turning the finger-piece. split-cap outwardly (by hand) the snuffer split-cap is concurrently turned outwardly'to withdraw its snuffer from the wick; at.--.thev same. timepthe flint wheel is actuated. to generate sparksato ignitetheexposed wick. One of the split-caps is implemented -with.a :spring which turns the'twowoapsin the oppositeinward direction, upontw-ithdraw-ing the. finger from-the finger-pieeeato return the caps-to closingposit-ion enli-to causeithe snufier to; extin uish. the-flame.

The finger-piece split-cap is designated and is pivotally mounted at the upper open end of the main lighter casing I, by a pin ll extending transversely across the narrow width of the casing from front wall 2 to rear wall 3. The snufier split-cap is designated 23 and is similarly pivotally mounted by a pin 2|. Split-cap H3 is formed. of a main side wall .|2 having a straight channel flange |3 along the top of the cap which continues at one end of the cap as an arcuate channel flange i l. Split cap 23 is similarly formed of a main side Wall 22 and straight and arcuate channel flanges, respectively, 23 and 24. In the closed position of split-caps It and 23, as shown in Fig. 2, their straight channel flanges, respectively, l3 and 23, are in abutting relation and constitute the main closure at the top of the lighter, the arcuate channel flanges M and 24 completing the closure at the opposite ends of the respective split-caps, as best seen in Fig. 2. The main side walls I2 and 22 are shaped like sectors of a circle, with their arcs in contiguous relation and formed as intermeshing gear teeth, respectively, l and 25. Split-cap H) is provided with a small finger-piece it. By pressing downwardly on finger-piece I9, split-cap Hi turns clockwise on its pivot H from its normal, closed position shown in Fig. 2 to its open position shown in Fig. 3; concurrently, the clockwise turning of its gear teeth l5 meshing with gear teeth 25 of the split-cap 20 causes the latter to turn counter-clockwise on its pivot 2| from its normal, closed position in Fig. 2 to the open position of Fig. 3. The main side walls l2 and 2'2 are adjacent to the rear wall 3 of the lighter casing, as seen in Fig. 4 with reference to side wall i2, so that a clear space is available at the upper part of the lighter casing, which becomes exposed when the split-caps are in their outward or open positions, as in Fig. 3.

The clear space at the top of the lighter casing is limited by a partition 3|) extending transversely across the lighter casing and serving also as the upper confines of the fuel compartment 9. Transverse partition 3% is pierced by a wick tube 3| and a flint tube 34; transverse partition 30 is formed with a tubular extension 32 which surrounds wick tube 3| and connects therewith at the top in an inclined platform 33. Wick tube 3| contains a wick 6, the upper end of which is in underlying relation to snufier cap 20, as shown in Fig. 2. Depending from the straight channel flange 23 of cap 26 is a short snufier tube 26, the lower end of which is out at a bevel to conform with the inclined platform 33, as best seen in Fig. 2, so that in the closed position of the splitcaps, the lower edge of the snuffer 26 seats on the inclined platform 33 to completely encase the upper end of wick 6. The main object attained b inclining platform 33 as shown in Fig. 2 with its high point nearer pivot 2| is to shorten the proximal wall of snuffer tube 26 to conform to the shorter radial distance from pivot point 2|, so that snuiier 23 may seat fully on the platform and"completely encase the wick. Also, the inclination of platform 33 enables any excess fuel to drain away from the wick to a level below the flint wheel; further, the inclination faces the flint and flint wheel so that it serves to concentrate the sparks towards the wick.

Within flint tube 34 is a flint-piece 4 resting on a plug 5 slidable in tub-e 34 and urged upwardly by a spring 1 to maintain flint 4 in contact with flint wheel 35. Flint wheel 35 together with a smaller ratchet wheel 36 are rotatively mounted on a pin 8 extending transversely across the main casing from front to rear walls, 2, 3. In order that the main side wall l2 of split-cap it may be turned without obstruction from transverse pin 8, side wall I2 is provided with an arcuate slot |8 in which transverse pin 8 clears. Ratchet wheel 36 is turned by a pawl it which is pivotally mounted on main side wall l2 of split-cap H] and pressed towards the ratchet wheel by a wire spring I! also mounted on side wall I 2. As finger-piece split-cap i3 is turned clockwise from closed position, Fig. 2, to open position, Fig. 3, the teeth at the distal end of pawl I6 engage ratchet wheel 36 to turn the latter together with flint wheel 35 in a clockwise direc tion, as best seen in Fig. 3, causing sparks to be thrown leftwardly towards the wick.

The flint Wheel 35 and ratchet wheel 33 may be pivotally mounted on the same pin on which the split cap H] is mounted; this is illustrated in Fig. 5 where it will be observed that flint tube 34 is disposed directly under common pivot pin H with flint 4 engaging flint wheel 35. A pawl IE5 mounted on main side wall !2 of the split cap engages ratchet wheel 36 to turn it and the flint wheel 35 in a clockwise direction when the split-cap is turned in that direction to open position, the pawl l6 clicking idly over the ratchet teeth in the counterclockwise closing movement of the split-cap.

It will be observed from Figs. 2 and 3 that gear 25 of the snufier split-cap 29 is smaller than gear l5 of the finger-piece cap ID. Hence the snufier split-cap has a somewhat'larger angular extent of turning, the object of which is to get the snuffer 26 away from the wick as quickly as possible (in the early stage of outward turning) before the flint wheel is turned, so that the wick will be exposed to the sparks generated by the flint wheel.

The extent of turning of split-caps l9 and 2! is limited by the abutment of their straight channel flanges, respectively, 13 and 23, with the top edge of the lighter casing, as shown in Fig. 3. The split caps are returned inwardly to their normal, closed positions by a wire spring 29 con veniently coiled about pivot pin 2! and having its upper end abutting against the snuffer tube 25 and its lower end abutting against the tubular extension 32. Draft holes 39, Fig. 1, may be provided near the top edge of the lighter casing and disposed above inclined platform 33, to furnish air to the wick when ignited.

It will be observed from the showing of Fig. 3, that when the cap sections Ill and 23 are moved to their open positions, the curved end channels or wall sections M and are received within the casing 3, that the angular movement of the cap section 23 is suflicient to brin the lower inclined edge of the snuffer cap 26 into approximately a vertical plane which is to one side of the wick so that the flame will clear the snufler cap; and that due to the split cap arrangement, the operation of the lighter will extend the cap sections for a distance which approximates only half of the width of the casing.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A lighter comprising a casing having front and rear walls and connecting side walls, the top edges of which define a top casing opening, wick and flint tubes, the upper ends of which extend into said top casing opening, means disposed above said flint tube for igniting said wick, closure means for said top casing opening comprising 5 two channeled sections pivotally mounted to said side walls of the casing at points close to said front and rear walls thereof, said pair of chan nel sections being normally in end to end relation with said top casing edges extending beyond and overlapping the edges of the channel sections to completely seal said top casing opening at all points thereof, means carried by one of said sections for operating said igniting means, a snuffer cap carried by the other of said sections, the side walls of said pair of channel sections on one side having their perimetrical edges curved and formed with teeth which intermesh, whereby the closure sections will swing open in opposite directions, a, manipulative member on one of the closure sections, the portion of said sections at said front and rear casing walls being curved to a radius about their said respective pivotal axes so that said complete seal is unbroken at the front and rear top opening of the casing during said swinging open of the closure sections.

2. The lighter according to claim 1 wherein said toothed perimetrical edge of the closure section which carries said operating means has a larger radius of curvature than that of the corresponding portion of the closure section carrying the snuffer cap whereby the latter will move to open position at an angular speed accelerated relatively to that of the other closure section.

, JULIUS KOHN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,857,200 Lagerholm May 10, 1932 2,019,433 Lagerholm Oct. 29, 1935 2,022,227 Aronson Nov. 26, 1935 20 2,022,228 Kinzinger Nov. 26, 1935 2,417,630 Campos Mar. 18, 1947 

